The Portland daily press., 1887-08-12
OLD TIME YACHTING.
A Breezy sketch OF the Pleasure
Boats OF sIxty-fIve Years Ago.
Some Account OF Their Builders,
Their Owners and Their Uses.
a Portland Yacht Race That Was
sailed In Old Times.
Hon. william GooId.l

boats used for pleasure was In far less pro-
portion to the present number than the pop
ulation. The largest and finest sail boat, or
yacht (as she would now be called that had
sailed up and down Casco Bay was built by
John II. Hall in 1907. Hall was the son Of
Stephen Hall, graduate Of Harvard Col
lege in the class Of 1765. and had been a tutor
In that institution. The son. John II. Hall,
was horn here In 1881, and although the
father was well to do, the son learned the
trade Of a boat builder and had shop on
Richardson's Wharf. He was an enthusi-
astic boatm4n, and early showed DISPOSE
tion to step aside from the beaten track In
modelling sailing craft.
The rage for fast privateers at the COM
mencement Of the war Of 1872 gave Hall an
opportunity TO introduce favorite principle
In a thirty ton sloop. This was what has
eliminated in the present centre-board. Hall
saw the advantage that would be gained by
something that would hold the vessel up to
her course, preventing her falling of to
leeward. He built the privateer Yankee
with keel fcctdccp. with nosupportbut the
through and through bolts that went down
through the keelsOn. On the trial trips
made in fair weather the deep keel did won
ders, but 1t probably was the destruction Of
the vessel on her first cruise, as she never
was heard from. The great leverage Of the
deep keel probably started cardboard plank
in gale and she foundered.
Hall obtained his idea Of deep keel from
watching the defects in the sail boat which
he built in 1907 She was about thirty feet
long, with what would now be considered
great breadth Of beam at about twelve feet
from the stem and lean aft. In looking down
upon her from the wharf. she appeared to
have the outlines Of scuipn. Her bow,
like all vessels Of her time. was very full.
She had forecastle deck, covering about
One-third Of her length. with a cuddy below
1t. with sleeping hunks and doors to close in
halves. The after part Of the boat was
foored over about three feet below the
gunwale and had seats all round. which
would accommodate perhaps fifty or sixty
persons. She had two masts without
shrouds, but no topmasts. The foremast
was four or five feet higher than the main
mast, and placed well forward to prevent
the necessity Of jib. This rig was well
calculated TO enable one person TO manage
the boat alone. as the foresail would work
itself, and while holding the tiller the helms
man could haul In or pay out the main sheet
These short and wide boats would
go about much quicker than long
ones. giving them an advantage in
beating against the tide In narrow
roadway. Their blunt how allowed them TO
run well inshore out Of the current, and In
skillful hands, could be made TO shoot ahead
In the still water. before they filled away on
the other tack.
Halls new boat was called the Swiftsure,
and her owner was eock-of-the walk, and
champion Of the bay uutil the war Of 1872
drew his attention 10 other matters. There
ws,--no silver cups to be sailed for then, but
boatmen fo7ykk their cups.full as often then as
they do now. Hs@ naa invented a breech-
loading rifle which was q erssk nnProVe-
ment. The government bought his spsSent
and employed him to superin tend the manS.
facture Of the arm at Harper's Ferry, where
he continued twenty years lie died In ls4i.
He had a son who was member Of Con-
gress from Missouri. II Hall had continued
In the boat business, with his Inventive
genius, he would probably have produced
something like the present center board.
His idea Of the deep keel would naturally
lead 10 1t.
In 1870 the boatmen Of the town concluded
that Halls Swlftsure had held the cham
plonship about long enough. Lazarus Har-
lowe, joiner, who came from old Plymouth
Cape Cod, opened grocery on the west cor
ner Of Fore and Union streets. Harlowe
had film between his toes like any other
water bird, and his store became the head
quarters for boatmen. Just down the wharf
from Harlowe's. Joseph Roberts. who came
from Cape Elizabeth. had a boat-builder's
shop. and he was consulted by Harlowe
about building rival to compete with the
Swiftsure. The last years Boston May
flower was not looked over by Burgess,
Forbes & Paine for faults to remedy in the
model Of the Volunteer, with more interest
than was the Swiftsure by Roberts and Har-
lowe. The result Of their work during the
summer Of 1920 was the production Of the
Laurel now Judge Goddard's yacht, al
though she did not arrive to the dignity OF
being called yacht until she had grooved
the waters Of Casco Bay, and the coast Of
tAhAuC AuA uCuAAJ oAAtJ NCAko. hcE huNdnCc-
ment. was not on account Of alterations, for
her owner has made none; she has yet only
the two old fashioned sails, blunt bow, and
square stern.
The new Laurel was four feet shorter than
her predecessor, the Swiftsure, but Of full
equal burden and capacity. Often while
owned by Harlowe. she carrid from sixty to
seventy passengers, and always with safety.
She was Of the same rig as the Swiftsure,
painted green outside and Is yet. The
Laurel was launched; the day came for the
trial. Both boats had their friends, Just as
the yachts and race horses now do. Bets
were made Of money and bottles Of wine.
but wine was not stout enough for the treat
by the friends Of the vanquished boat. The
race was fair one. although neither boat
carried spinakers, balloonjibs orlhying kites
OF any kind. Tie ends Of the wharves
were occupied by an excited crowd
TO see IL the new boat took the
the laurels from the old faYOrite. The own
ers Of the Swiftsure acknowledged defeat
but claimed that 1t was owing TO the Laurel
being favored by a flaw of wind. For "a
week the contest was kept up In all kinds Of
weather. Harlowes store was for that week
at least wet grocery. The Swiftsure lost
| teen years. Hence the name Of the winner.
| The bets were paid and like the discarded
| champions Of Boston bay, the Swlftsure
was sold at great discount; the winning
| Harl0we became her owner.
| Joseph Roberts, the builder OF the Laurel,
i continued 10 build boats at Union wharf un-
| til his death. His son. Thomas +. Roberts,
/ continues the business at the foot Of Centre
i street. In answer 10 my question, when
/ did you commence business2' he replied,
/ II should think you might know. The first
/ sailboat that built after l was free was for
| Yourself" Heis now 70. That boat came
| near drowning the writer on her trial trip
| by upsetting for the want Of sufficient bal
last. That was severe lesson. but valu-
able one.
In 1872 the Laurel was advertised In the
i papers TO take passengers TO commencement
at brunswick. After getting help to get ner
sails up In 1880, the writer, her only nccu-
| pant, sailed her from Union wharf, round
Hog Island, and back TO her mOOrings.
| Those two safe and comfortable boats were
kept to let by HarlOwe until the Swiftsure
| wanted repairs In 1860, when she was
hauled out. She was burnt accidentally,
with near building. For several years
Mr.. Harlowe had for partner his brother
in-law, Charles Baker; and afterwards, his
son, Edward HarlOwe, now of the West
End, was his partner. Besides the two
boats named, they had several smaller sail
boats. Mr.. Harlowe sold the Laurel In
1862 TO Mr. Evans, and since that time she
has had several owners. She IS now IN
commission as yacht Of the Portland Cluo,